Automatic stuffing box



A. L. REA

AUTOMATIC STUFFING BOX Sept. 11,, 1923. M61877 Filed Oct 10. 1921' INVENTOR. L 1 H6 62 ,1 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. ll, that.

stars ALBERT L. BEA, OF SHAWNEE, OHIO.

Annemarie ST'UFIING BOX.

Application filed. October 10, 1921. Serial No. 506,935.

useful Improvements in Automatic Stuffing Bones, of which the following is a snecification,

This invention relatesto stufing boxes for use in connection w th moving rods such as piston and pump rods and more particularly to polished rods used in'o-il wellsl f The object of the invention is to provide a box of this character. which uses very little packing and requires very little attention after it has" once been packed.

Another object is to provide a stuffing box of this character constructed so that the packing will be released after the well has been pumped off and allowed to stand for a time thus leaving the packing prac tically loose and avoiding heating of the rod and burning out of the packing as well as the consequent leakage and. waste of the oil.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel feature of construction as hereinafter shown, de scribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section through the casing of thestulhng box with the packing and cooperatin parts in side elevation, one of the followers being broken out and in section.

v Fig. 2 is a plan view f the device the rod being shown in section, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Oil wells have two valves at the bottom of the tubing known as the standing valve and the working valve an d after these valves have become worn they begin to leak and the fluid drops down in the tubing leaving the tubing partly empty so that when the pump is first started there isv no oil around the packing and the working up and down therethrough of the polished rod causes the device to become heated by fric tion and burns out the packing permitting the oil to run out on the ground and be wasted. It is to overcome this objection that this device was designed.

In the'embodi ient illustrated the device the After the well is pumped off constituting this invention comprises a cas ing 1 having a laterally extending outlet branch 2 near its lower end which is thread ed internally for connection with the lead line (not shown) and to the upper end of which is applied a cap 3 having threaded connection with the casing 1 and provided with a central opening for the passage of the polished rod 5, said opening being sur rounded by a flange 4;.

A seat or shoulder 6 is formed within the casing 1 in a plane above the lower or bottom wall of the opening 2 and is designed to form a rest or stop for the lower follower 7 said follower being on the rod 5 as is shown clearly in Fig. 1; I g

The; packing is mounted above the follower on the rod 5 and as shown is in the form of a plurality of soft rubber rings 8 and 9 three of each being shown arranged in alternation the larger rings 8 being of soft rubber while the smaller rings 9 are of any suitable material.

Above the packing rings 8 and 9' is the top follower 10 and between the upper face of this follower 10 and the inner face of the cap 3 is a coiled spring 11.

In the use of this improved stuiling the casing 1 is first screwed onto the top of the well tubing (not shown), and tie lead line (not shown) is connected. with the outlet opening 2 of saidcasing. The lower box follower 7 is then placed within the casing 1 almost covering the outlet opening in the side thereof and resting on the seat 6. The packing rings 8 and 9 are then placed on the follower 7 and the top follower 1O placed over said packing with the coiled spring 11 arranged above the top follower 10 between it and the cap The end of the spring 11 when so placed. extends above the top of the casing 1 about inch more or less. The cap 3 is then tightened down which. compresses the spring 11 suiliciently to compress the packing rings 8 and 9 to prevent leaking until the well begins to pump. lres When this occurs the fluid st 1 the lower follower 7 and raises it against the tension of spring 11 thereby tightening the packing and per i itting the to pass out through the opening It is of cor e understood that the follower is raised su ciently to allow whatever fluid the rod produces to pass out throngs the outlet opening. and is allowed to stand for awhilethe valve leaks permitting the fluid to pass back into the tubing.

After thestujliing box is once packed and placed in operative position it {will give perfect satisfaction withoutrequiring any attention and lasts from two weeks to two months according-to the smoothness of the rod 5.

From the above description it will be obvious that a bushing constructed as herein shown and described vwill operate automatically to compress and release the packing according to whether the vwell is pump ing or left unused.

The preferred embodiment of? the inven tion is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that any modifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be made in the construction without depart ing from the principle 01": the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim i l 1. A stufling box for pump rods and the l.ike,'compi:-ising a pump rod, a casing through which'the pump rod extends and having an outlet opening at one side, a follower in said casing niountedon the rod to partially close said opening, a compressible packing surrounding the pump rod and arranged on'said follower, another. follower on the ro d arranged over said paeliin'g'and resting tl ei'eoii,aii adjustahlecap enclosing the upper end of said casing and a coiled spring arranged between;saidrapand last mentioned follower, saidspring tensioned to i normally hold the first'inentioned follower in position to partially close the opening.

like, comprising a pump re l, a' casing for A. Astufling, box for pump rods and the connection with a well tubing and having an outlet opening on one side near one end,

said casing being provided with a seat ar ranged above the lower wallet said'opening, a follower in sa d casing normally resting on said seat and partially closing said opening, a plurality of packing rings mounted in said casing on said t'ollow'er and surrounding the pump rod, another follower on the rod mounted on said packing rings,

a cap having threaded connection with the upper end of said casing and apertured for v the passage of the pump; rod, and a coiled spring mounted'in said casing between said cap and said last mentioned follower. I

In testimony-whereof, I afiiX my signature hereto. 7

ALBERT L. V REA. 

